Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Loyola University Chicago

Loyola's $26,000 debt load for this degree sits right at the national median, but the challenge lies in what peer programs suggest about early earnings. Nationwide, bachelor's degree holders in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions typically earn around $36,000 in their first year—a figure that produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That's manageable but not generous, especially in an expensive city like Chicago where that salary stretches less far than in other markets.

The Illinois comparison adds another wrinkle. Similar programs across the state typically generate first-year earnings of $37,693, with debt around $24,875. Aurora University's graduates, for instance, report earning nearly $42,000 their first year out—substantially more than the national baseline suggests for Loyola's program. That gap matters when you're servicing $26,000 in loans while covering Chicago rent and living expenses.

For parents, the question is whether Loyola's urban clinical networks and Jesuit educational approach justify starting at what comparable programs suggest will be a mid-pack salary. If your student needs the Chicago location for personal reasons or specific career connections, this debt level won't sink them. But if they're choosing Loyola primarily for the name or campus experience rather than clear professional advantages in rehabilitation services, programs like Aurora's offer a financially stronger starting position—and that advantage compounds over time.